Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters (Seiro bijin awase): Kisegawa of the Matsubaya with Attendants Onami and Menami c. 1797

This color woodblock print by Chōbunsai Eishi depicts Kisegawa, a courtesan of the Matsubaya house, with her attendants in 18th-century Japan. Prints like these had a wide public role during the Edo period, acting as both advertisements and objects of admiration. They offer a glimpse into the licensed pleasure quarters of Japan, spaces that were simultaneously policed and celebrated. Visual codes within the image are carefully constructed. The arrangement of hairstyles, robes, and accessories signified social status and profession. The print is conservative in that it reproduces the established hierarchies of the pleasure districts, yet it also provides a visual celebration of the women who occupied these spaces. The Floating World was a commercial enterprise, and its imagery was carefully managed by publishers, artists, and the brothel owners themselves. By consulting historical records, we can better understand the social and institutional contexts that gave rise to this vibrant visual culture.